Physical server discovery and correlation

• US 8,909,758 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bose, Patrick Glen, Vong, Ky Tong
• Primary Examiner(s): Donabed, Ninos
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICHARDSON, THOMAS W
• Application Number:
  US11/460,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,056 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/222, 711/6
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A virtual server system and a method of provisioning a plurality of virtual servers is described. The system may comprise a plurality of physical servers, at least one switch connected to the plurality of physical servers, and a virtual frame director to direct provisioning of a plurality of virtual servers on the physical servers. The virtual frame director may be configured to monitor an event related to a link between each physical server and the switch and, in response to the event, update a virtual server database. The system may comprise a Storage Area Network (SAN) and the virtual frame director may be arranged to configure the network fabric to allow the plurality of physical servers to access to the SAN. For example, the network fabric may be configured to access storage on the SAN from which each physical server is to boot.

Claims

1. A virtual server system comprising:

a plurality of physical servers;

a plurality of switches;

a virtual frame director including a policy module, the virtual frame director performing;

direct provisioning of a plurality of virtual servers on the plurality of physical servers, each virtual server concurrently executing a different operating system;

monitoring respective events generated by the plurality of switches and related to a link state between the plurality of physical servers and the plurality of switches and, in response to the events;

contacting, over a network, a subnet manager to refresh a connection topology;

determining from the connection topology a particular one of the plurality of switches that generated an event of the events;

determining a communication port on the particular switch that generated the event based upon an identification received as part of the event;

determining a remote communication port of a particular one of the plurality of physical servers from the connection topology, the determined switch, and the communication port of the switch;

retrieving a record of the remote communication port stored in a virtual server database, the virtual server database storing networking configuration information of the virtual servers;

determining that one of the plurality of virtual servers is provisioned on the particular physical server based upon binding information in the record of the remote communication port and information in the virtual server database;

determining that the event indicates that a link between the particular physical server and the particular switch is down;

responsive to determining that the event indicates that the link is down and that one of the plurality of virtual servers is provisioned on the particular physical server,

sending a signal to the policy module to bypass a normal schedule and prioritize checking the particular physical server and ping the particular physical server to determine if the particular physical server is reachable on a different link between the particular physical server and a different switch of the plurality of switches;

determining that another event of the events indicates that a link between the particular physical server and the particular switch of the plurality of switches is up in response to checking the particular server;

waiting to receive an additional event that indicates that the different link between the particular physical server and the different switch of the plurality switches is up; and

in response to receiving the another event and the additional event, refreshing, using the subnet manager, the connection topology, the connection topology indicative of the current state of the plurality of physical servers and the plurality of switches.

2. The virtual server system of claim 1, further comprising a Storage Area Network (SAN) remote from the plurality of physical servers, and wherein the virtual frame director configures network fabric to allow at least one of the plurality of physical servers to access the SAN.

3. The virtual server system of claim 2, wherein the at least one of the plurality of physical servers boots from storage on the remote SAN.

4. The virtual server system of claim 1, in which the virtual frame director updates the virtual server database automatically, without human intervention, to modify a status of the link state in the virtual server database, and wherein the link state is associated with a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers.

5. The virtual server system of claim 1, in which the virtual frame director updates the virtual server database to modify data associated with at least one virtual server of the plurality of servers.

6. The virtual server system of claim 1, wherein the virtual frame director initiates a fail-over procedure to provision a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers on another physical server responsive to determining that the event indicates that the link is down and that one of the plurality of virtual servers is provisioned on the particular physical server.

7. The virtual server system of claim 1, wherein the event generated by the switch comprises a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) trap and wherein the virtual frame director registers with the switch to receive SNMP traps.

8. The virtual server system of claim 1, wherein the virtual frame director powers up one of the plurality of physical servers that then establishes links with one of the plurality of switches and update the virtual server database to record the newly established links.

9. The virtual server system of claim 1, wherein the virtual frame director queries the switch to identify port mappings and, in response to a query response, update the connection topology in the virtual server database.

10. The virtual server system of claim 1, wherein the virtual frame director executes a virtual server policy associated with a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers.

11. The virtual server system of claim 1, wherein the virtual frame director identifies the communication port of the particular switch using an ifIndex.

12. The virtual server system of claim 1, wherein connections between at least one of the plurality of physical servers and at least one of the plurality of switches are InfiniBand connections.

13. A method of managing a plurality of virtual servers provisioned on a plurality of physical servers, each virtual server concurrently executing a different operating system, the method comprising:

monitoring respective events generated by a plurality of switches connected to the plurality of physical servers and related to a link state between the plurality of physical servers and the plurality of switches;

in response to the events;

contacting, over a network, a subnet manager to refresh a connection topology;

determining from the connection topology a particular one of the plurality of switches that generated an event of the events;

determining a communication port on the particular switch that generated the event based upon an identification received as part of the event;

determining a remote communication port of a particular one of the plurality of physical servers from the connection topology, the determined switch, and the communication port of the switch;

retrieving a record of the remote communication port stored in a virtual server database, the virtual server database storing networking configuration information of the virtual servers;

determining that one of the plurality of virtual servers is provisioned on the particular physical server based upon binding information in the record of the remote communication port and information in the virtual server database;

determining that the event indicates that a link between the particular physical server and the particular switch is down;

responsive to determining that the event indicates that the link is down and that one of the plurality of virtual servers is provisioned on the particular physical server, sending a signal to a policy module of a virtual frame director to bypass a normal schedule and prioritize checking the particular physical server and ping the particular physical server to determine if the particular physical server is reachable on a different link between the particular physical server and a different switch of the plurality of switches;

determining that another event of the events indicates that a link between the particular physical server and the particular switch of the plurality of switches is up in response to checking the particular server;

waiting to receive an additional event that indicates that the different link between the particular physical server and the different switch of the plurality switches is up; and

in response to receiving the another event and the additional event, refreshing, using the subnet manager, the connection topology, the connection topology indicative of the current state of the plurality of physical servers and the plurality of switches.

14. The method of claim 13, which comprises configuring a network fabric to allow access to a remote Storage Area Network (SAN) in response to the events.

15. The method of claim 13, which comprises automatically, without human intervention, modifying a status of the link state in the virtual server database, wherein the link state is associated with a virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers.

16. The method of claim 13, which comprises updating the virtual server database to modify data associated with at least one virtual server of the plurality of virtual servers.

17. The method of claim 13, which comprises querying the switch to identify port mappings and, in response to a query response, updating the connection topology in the virtual server database.

18. A virtual frame director device to manage a plurality of virtual servers provisioned on a plurality of physical servers, each virtual server concurrently executing a different operating system, the device comprising:

a policy module;

a monitoring module monitoring respective events generated by the plurality of switches and related to a link state between the plurality of physical servers and the plurality of switches; and

an update module performing;

responsive to the events;

contacting, over a network, a subnet manager to refresh a connection topology;

determining from the connection topology a particular one of the plurality of switches that generated an event of the events;

determining a communication port on the particular switch that generated the event based upon an identification received as part of the event;

determining a remote communication port of a particular one of the plurality of physical servers from the connection topology, the determined switch, and the communication port of the switch;

retrieving a record of the remote communication port stored in a virtual server database, the virtual server database storing networking configuration information of the virtual servers;

determining that one of the plurality of virtual servers is provisioned on the particular physical server based upon binding information in the record of the remote communication port and information in the virtual server database;

determining that the event indicates that a link between the particular physical server and the particular switch is down;

responsive to determining that the event indicates that the link is down and that one of the plurality of virtual servers is provisioned on the particular physical server, sending a signal to the policy module to bypass a normal schedule and prioritize checking the particular physical server and ping the particular physical server to determine if the particular physical server is reachable on a different link between the particular physical server and a different switch of the plurality of switches;

determining that another event of the events indicates that a link between the particular physical server and the particular switch of the plurality of switches is upon response to checking the particular server;

waiting to receive an additional event that indicates that the different link between the particular physical server and the different switch of the plurality switches is up; and

in response to receiving the another event and the additional event, refreshing, using the subnet manager, the connection topology, the connection topology indicative of the current state of the plurality of physical servers and the plurality of switches.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable medium embodying instructions that, when performed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

managing a plurality of virtual servers, the virtual servers provisioned on a plurality of physical servers, each virtual server concurrently executing a different operating system;

monitoring respective events generated by a plurality of switches connected to the plurality of physical servers and related to a link state between the plurality of physical servers and the plurality of switches;

in response to the events;

contacting, over a network, a subnet manager to refresh a connection topology;

determining from the connection topology a particular one of the plurality of switches that generated an event of the events;

determining a communication port on the particular switch that generated the event based upon an identification received as part of the event;

determining a remote communication port of a particular one of the plurality of physical servers from the connection topology, the determined switch, and the communication port of the switch;

retrieving a record of the remote communication port stored in a virtual server database, the virtual server database storing networking configuration information of the virtual servers;

determining that one of the plurality of virtual servers is provisioned on the particular physical server based upon binding information in the record of the remote communication port and information in the virtual server database;

determining that the event indicates that a link between the particular physical server and the particular switch is down;

responsive to determining that the event indicates that the link is down and that one of the plurality of virtual servers is provisioned on the particular physical server, sending a signal to a policy module of a virtual frame director to bypass a normal schedule and prioritize checking the particular physical server and ping the particular physical server to determine if the particular physical server is reachable on a different link between the particular physical server and a different switch of the plurality of switches;

determining that another event of the events indicates that a link between the particular physical server and the particular switch of the plurality of switches is up in response to checking the particular server;

waiting to receive an additional event that indicates that the different link between the particular physical server and the different switch of the plurality switches is up; and

in response to receiving the another event and the additional event, refreshing, using the subnet manager, the connection topology, the connection topology indicative of the current state of the plurality of physical servers and the plurality of switches.